


From Aya, With Love

by la_comtesse



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Love Confessions, Pastel Palettes are dorks, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, brief references to idol industry homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-19 06:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17596595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/la_comtesse/pseuds/la_comtesse
Summary: Aya has a crush on her bandmate's sister. Her other bandmates find out.





	1. Chapter 1

She didn't know how long it had been, but Maruyama Aya had been busy staring at the girl sitting next to her.

“Is something the matter, Maruyama-san?”

Aya sat up in her seat with a start.

“Uhh… N-nothing, Sayo-chan! I was just thinking about something! I have rehearsals today so I’ve been kind of a mess, ehe.” Aya giggled awkwardly and waved off her classmate's inquiry.

Sayo, the classmate in question, cocked her head and gave Aya a questioning look, but she pressed no further. “If that's the case, I'll leave you be. But please try to pay attention in class too, Maruyama-san,” Sayo replied, voice smooth like always. Tapping her pen on the sheet of notebook paper in front of her, she turned back in her seat and continued to write down the assignments that their teacher had scrawled on the board. Aya, on the other hand, was taking note of other things. Like Sayo's hair. Her pretty, long, turquoise hair, which she always kept immaculately groomed. Aya, being an idol, appreciated those who maintained their image. She liked Sayo-chan's hair… and the way she brushed stray strands of that hair out of her eyes. And her eyes, the same pale green eyes that Aya's bandmate Hina had, but with a different kind of ferocity and determination that Sayo applied to everything she did.

Aya's heart beat like a drum in her chest. Did she really just think all that? She was _such_ a dork. At this rate, maybe she should take Kasumi’s suggestions and start writing song lyrics after all. The teacher’s words no longer registered to her, as she was too busy reviewing her encounter with her classmate in her head. _Sayo-chan… noticed me watching her,_ she thought. _Uuuu… I hope I didn't make it too obvious!_ As the teacher droned on, it dawned on Aya that as this situation of hers got worse, it was going to horribly complicate everything. She spent the rest of the class period alternating between blushing madly and silently trying not to panic.

Really, Aya didn't know when her crush started. Sayo never really talked that much to her until recently. Maybe it started because of that. Maybe it started when Sayo admitted to liking all of their songs, Hina's teasing notwithstanding (SURVIVOR Never Give Up earned a special mention there). Maybe it started when Sayo finally got over herself and congratulated the Pastel*Palettes members during a group live. Maybe it started during the Tanabata Festival, when Sayo came in during Aya's work hours and the two commiserated over their shared experiences as older sisters. Or maybe it was the rare smile that Sayo gave her when Aya asked if she and Hina were okay.

But, regardless of when it started or how, Aya knew she was in trouble. Because she'd fallen for Hikawa Sayo, her bandmate's twin sister, and unlike whatever scary traps she encountered during her time on that one deserted island, she was in _way_ too deep to crawl back out.

Class finally ended, and Sayo bid her farewell, gathering her things as she spoke with her bandmate, Shirokane Rinko. Suddenly, Aya noticed a shadow looming above the papers on her desk. She looked up, and Sayo was standing in front of her, concern evident in her eyes. Aya yelped.

“Sayo-chan?! I didn't notice you there!”

Sayo paused and seemed to consider her words before answering. “Maruyama-san, are you alright? Pardon me, but you have been acting off this entire class period.” 

Aya laughed, a little too loudly for her liking, and tucked a lock of pink hair behind her ear.

“Nerves! It's just nerves. We're, uh, practicing SURVIVOR Never Give Up today and I just haven't sang that song in a while! Ahaha.”

At the mention of the song, Sayo's eyes brightened for the briefest of moments before she settled back into her serious expression.

“That's… well, I hope you feel better soon, Maruyama-san. A band needs their leader, after all. And… please send Hina and the rest of Pastel*Palettes my regards.”

Aya nodded dumbly. She couldn't hear herself thank Sayo, even though she was sure she did. Sayo left the classroom with Rinko soon afterwards, and the latter girl cast a worried glance in Aya's direction before stepping out of the classroom.

Aya, meanwhile, stayed in her seat, considering. She was going to need help with this situation, she realized. Professional help.

Her face in her hands, she mumbled something to herself.

“I need to tell Chisato-chan!”

\---

“Ah, so you've fallen for Sayo-chan, huh?”

Chisato closed her eyes and calmly sipped her tea. The way she could be so composed about some things infuriated Aya sometimes.

“Y-yes! I just told you that! Chisato-chan, what do I doooo?” Aya looked around worriedly, her hands clutched close to her chest. She leaned in and tried to bring her voice to a whisper, though it came out sounding more like a hiss in her urgency. The two of them were at one of Chisato's favorite coffee shops, whiling the time away before rehearsals, and Aya didn't want to be overheard in such a public setting. 

“I know we're not supposed to date as idols and we're… we're both… you know! Girls! That kind of thing is going to ruin my career if it gets out!”

Her self-control having been spent, Aya wailed. “Chisato-chan, please! Help me!”

Chisato opened her eyes and gently set her teacup down. Aya wished that she could only look half as refined drinking something without spilling it or making some other silly mistake, but alas. _Grace will come with time, Aya,_ she silently consoled herself. But what Chisato said next came as a shock to Aya.

“Why don't you just tell her, then?”

“Wh… Huh?!”

“That's right. Aya-chan, why don't you just tell her how you feel? You know…” Chisato tugged on Aya's sleeve and pulled her into a conspiratorial whisper. “Dating as idols has never stopped me or anyone else I know in the industry.”

Aya's eyes widened.

“Chisato-chan?!”

Chisato let go of Aya and giggled, covering her mouth as she did so. “It's no problem if you keep it a secret! Why are you so surprised, Aya-chan? Did you think I was some saint?” 

Aya pouted. “N-no, actually, but you never told the band! Chisato-chan, don't you trust us? We've been through enough together!”

“Hmm… I had considered it, but I think it's best for now if I keep it under wraps.” Chisato tapped her finger on her chin and looked off to the side, feigning innocence. “Anyway, enough of that--”

“Wait, Chisato-chan, who is it?!”

“I'll tell you when you're older. Anyway, enough of that. How are you going to confess to her?”

“How did you know I was going to agree to that?!”

Telling Chisato about her crush was a calculated risk. Aya knew that Chisato probably had industry experience or something like that (she had experience in everything, didn't she?) and could have advised her on how to step away from her feelings to maintain her image as a sparkly, pure idol. But Chisato also had an element of surprise that Aya was still trying to get accustomed to. That, and Chisato always knew how to get her riled up, somehow.

Chisato smiled broadly. “You're not going to back down, are you? If you do, though, perhaps I could woo her instead? Come to think of it, Sayo-chan is a dog person, isn't she?”

“N-No! There's no way you can do that! Chisato-chan, how could you? Okay, fine, I'll do it!”

“Fufu. Just as I expected. In that case, I'll have the others help you. Especially since there is one person here who deserves to know about it more than me.”

“Wait, what?!”

Aya slipped her mask back on, stood up, and frantically looked around. She didn't see anyone familiar, though. Suddenly, Aya felt a light tap on her shoulder, and she whirled around, only barely missing slamming into the girl in front of her. It was Hina. Of course. And along with Hina were the remaining two members of Pastel*Palettes, Maya and Eve. Aya swallowed nervously.

The three greeted her in unison. 

“Aya-chan!” “Aya-san.” “Aya-san!”

Quickly, before Aya could reply, Hina lurched forward and grabbed Aya's shoulders. “I heard you liked my onee-chan, huh?” She frowned, and Aya not only noticed her similarity to Sayo in that moment, but also began to scramble for an apology. Then, Hina's expression morphed to one of glee, and her eyes positively sparkled. Aya's apology stuck in her throat. “Why didn't you tell me earlier?! That's so, so, _so_ boppin’!”

Maya chuckled nervously, scratching her cheek, while Eve joined in.

“Aya-san, I think that's wonderful! You and Sayo-san can do battle together as true warriors of love and Bushido!”

Hina cackled, not knowing entirely what Eve meant but agreeing anyway.

Aya put her hands on Hina's arms and weakly pulled. She was so surprised and flustered over the rest of Pastel*Palettes now knowing her secret that she gave up on any attempts to get away. Still in Hina's grasp, Aya desperately craned her neck to talk to Chisato, who was covering her mouth and stifling her own laughter at the scene.

“Chi-Chisato-chan, why'd you invite everyone here?! I wasn't ready!”

“Well, if you didn't tell them now, when would you? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but Hina-chan should know about this, right?”

Hina nodded. “Yep, yep! I can't believe you kept this a secret for soooo long! So tell me, Aya-chan, how'd you know that you totally wanted to bang my onee-chan?”

“Wehh?! Hina-chan!” Aya immediately turned to the color of her own hair as Hina giggled. Her eyes shifted nervously around the cafe they were in as she grabbed Hina's collar and pulled her in close. “Hina-chan, not so loud! We don't want anyone to hear about this!”

“Why not? I thought Aya-chan likes being recognized?”

“N-not when we're talking about that! Hina-chan this is a very sensitive topic and we're idols and--”

Sensing that Aya was perhaps in need of assistance, Chisato cut in. “Aya-chan, Hina-chan. It's almost time for rehearsals, isn't it? Everyone, let's go back to the studio. We can talk about it there, where we'll have more privacy.”

Aya sighed in relief as Hina let her go. Hina shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “Aww… okay. But then when we get there, you gotta tell me all the boppin’ details, Aya-chaaaan!”

Aya could tell she was in for a long practice, and it wasn't just because they were supposed to rehearse SURVIVOR Never Give Up that day.

\---

“...Aaand that's how I think I knew.”

Aya blushed, burying her face in her hands as the rest of the band gathered around her in a circle.

The other members of Pastel*Palettes glanced around at each other. They all seemed to be in deep thought. Maya was the first to speak up.

“Aya-san… I'm so proud of you! I hope it's okay to say that, huhehe. Ah, I guess the first course of action is to figure out if Sayo-san is available… Hina-san?”

Hina snorted. “Aya-chan is in luck! I know everything about my onee-chan! If she started dating someone, I would know that too!”

She wrapped an arm around Aya's shoulders, causing Aya to stiffen at the contact. “But, ya know, I still can't believe Aya-chan fell for Onee-chan of all people! You guys are, like, totally different! And Onee-chan doesn't even talk to you that much, does she, Aya-chan?”

Aya knew that Hina meant no harm, but she still whimpered in response. “That's what I wanted to change… Hey, Hina-chan, now that you know about how I feel, is there any way you can help? Ahh… I know this is a lot to ask of you, but…”

Hina grinned. “Of course! It's about time Aya-chan got herself a boppin’ girlfriend! And there's no one out there who's more boppin' than Onee-chan!”

“Hina-san, it sounds like you want to date her instead…” Maya joked, crossing her arms behind her.

“Anyway,” Chisato finally chimed in. “I believe this is a point where we establish a plan of action to get Aya-chan and Sayo-chan closer together. I suppose we can start with the fact that they're in the same class. That should make things easier for you, Aya-chan.” She nodded towards Aya.

Aya groaned in response. “I know, but she's always so focused and serious while at school. It's so hard to approach her! I can just watch from afar…” 

“How about we just skip all of this and get to the point? Aya-chan, if you can't tell Onee-chan that you like her, I can do it for you!” Hina put her hands on her hips in a triumphant pose, flashing Aya a sparkling smile.

“Hina-chan, while your straightforwardness is refreshing, I believe Aya-chan would prefer to do the confession herself. Isn't that right, Aya-chan?” Chisato supplied.

Aya nodded. “Uh-huh…”

“I have an idea! Aya-san, challenge her to a duel! You can become Sayo-san's rival and eventually her lover!”

“Eve-san, that's not how things work!”

“But I saw that happen in a really good period drama…”

“I got it! Why don't you walk up to her, put your hand on her shoulder, give her that professional Aya-chan smolder, and be like… 'Heeey’?”

“Hina-san, you're just as bad! You guys, stop taking dating tips from movies and TV!”

Maya looked between Eve and Hina in exasperation. Watching her bandmates, Aya laughed softly to herself. Everyone perked up and turned to her upon hearing the sound.

“Well?” Chisato inquired. “Did you think of something just now, Aya-chan?”

Aya shook her head. “No. But…” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again. Ideas started running through her head, and she just had to pick one.

“I want you guys to hear me out on this. I think I know what I want to do.”

Aya stole a quick glance at the clock--they were still on break during rehearsal, after all--and motioned for her bandmates to come closer. If she wanted her plan--well, _any_ of her plans--to work, she'd need their input, especially Hina's and Chisato's.

She was going to do it. Maruyama Aya was going to get Hikawa Sayo to go out with her.


	2. Chapter 2

“Thanks for meeting up with me today!”

Aya slid into the booth across from Hina, pink phone in hand. She took a brief look at the now half-eaten fries in front of her, which Hina had allegedly ordered for both of them, and gave Hina a disappointed frown. Hina giggled.

“Anyway, what's up, Aya-chan? Onee-chan isn't in love with you yet?”

Aya deadpanned.

“Seriously, Hina-chan, you gotta stop bringing this up so casually when we're in public. You know how people are…”

Hina absentmindedly chewed on a fry. “Ahhh… That's right. I don't really get why it's wrong, but okay.”

“It's not. It's just…”

“Aya-chan is scared people won't like her for liking someone else?”

“...I guess. Let's leave it at that.”

Aya placed her phone face down on the table in front of them and sighed. She fingered the beads on her bracelet as she contemplated what to tell Hina next. Hina just looked at her curiously, but for once, she didn't say anything.

“So… These past couple of weeks. I don't know if I'm making any progress with Sayo-chan.”

Hina perked up. “That's why I keep saying you just need to tell her!” She took one of Aya's hands in her own, the one that wasn't holding her phone. “Anyway, Aya-chan, I'm disappointed in you. You never told me what happened on those dates you went on with Onee-chan… and she didn't want to tell me either so…”

Aya grumbled. “Th-they weren't _dates!_ Okay, okay, fine! I guess we can start from the beginning…”

\---

Aya's initial idea was, to say the least, not the most brilliant thing she thought up of, nor was it particularly impressive. But her plan over the next few weeks was basically to woo over Sayo before finally confessing to her. Chisato agreed that with someone like Sayo, it would be better to lure her in first before admitting her feelings. Hina originally insisted that Aya just come out with it, but the combined forces of Maya and Chisato managed to convince her otherwise. From that point, Aya fielded ideas from her bandmates on ways to spend more time with Sayo.

The first move was subtle. Aya knew, both from her own work experience and from Hina, that Sayo loved fries. So whenever Sayo popped into her place of work, she'd go out of her way to give her a premium discount, even if she technically wasn't supposed to. It got to the point where Hina started calling Aya “Sayo's dealer,” whatever that meant. (Aya wasn't sure if she wanted to know.) Eventually her co-workers started to notice too, and they soon figured out why Aya went hard on fries whenever Hikawa Sayo was around. Kanon, Himari, and Tomoe were all happy for her and tried their best to support her, although Aya would be lying if she didn't get _extremely_ embarrassed whenever Sayo casually stepped through the fast food restaurant's front doors and Himari or Tomoe would turn towards her and wiggle their eyebrows in a way that managed to look both suggestive and ridiculous.

Once Aya's fry dealer shenanigans had been more or less successfully implemented, she moved on to the next phase of her plan, which was spending more time with Sayo at school. Being her two bandmates who also attended Hanajo, Eve and Chisato had made a point of helping her with this, although the degree to which they helped… Varied, to say the least. Anyway, that was the case for Eve. Chisato did simple things, like nudging Aya in Sayo's direction when the two were both in her vicinity, or giving Aya hushed and vaguely condescending advice on how not to die from embarrassment in Sayo's presence whenever they _did_ get a chance to talk. Eve, on the other hand… Aya shuddered when she recalled the time Eve personally dragged her and Sayo out of their classroom the moment the class had ended and thrust wooden swords into their hands. Thankfully, Sayo was in a good mood that day, and Arisa from the lower class was there to smooth things over. She accomplished this mainly by trying to restrain Eve--and Kasumi, who stumbled upon them by chance--while apologising profusely to her upperclassmen. 

(Hina cackled and slapped the table when Aya recalled Eve's heartfelt attempt. “That's just like Eve-chan. Bushidooo all day, every day!” 

Aya, meanwhile, had to remind her that they were in a family restaurant and were probably garnering negative attention for Hina's antics.)

Another time, Eve and Chisato, along with the other two members of their band (somehow, they had managed to sneak Hina and Maya out of school at Haneoka) spent much of the day following Aya around and watching from behind a tree whenever Aya and Sayo happened to be within five meters of each other. There was one particular instance during which Aya and Sayo were standing alone--allegedly, anyway--together in the school courtyard. Sayo either didn't seem to notice or pretended to ignore the fact that Pastel*Palettes was following her around--especially Hina, who frequently found herself trapped in a headlock from Eve with a hand clasped over her mouth in order to prevent her from jumping on her beloved sister.

(Hina crossed her arms and huffed when Aya chided her for this. Aya, in turn, simply rolled her eyes and kept going.)

Over the next few weeks, Aya eventually chipped away at Sayo's icy exterior, or so she thought. Hina believed so too, when Aya described their meetings to her. Since they were in the same class, Aya convinced Sayo to help her study, and eventually these study sessions turned into short meetings for coffee, when Aya and Sayo would meet up at a café to discuss whatever was going on with their families and their bands. And when Aya discovered that Sayo used to watch the Sunday morning TV show hosted by her favorite former idol group, Marmalade, she found that it was even easier to talk to Sayo. (To Aya's chagrin, though, Ayumi-san was Sayo's least favorite member of the group. Naturally, she preferred the guitarist who played in the back.) And if they went to Hazawa Coffee, Tsugumi and Eve would even pour them free extra drinks. “Tsugumi-san insisted it’s on the house, for our lovely friends,” Eve would say, but the knowing look that both she and Tsugumi gave to the pink-haired idol told Aya otherwise.

(Upon learning of the free coffee, Hina mused out loud that she'd invade their next coffee “date,” earning a glare from her bandmate.)

In any case, Aya was particularly proud of herself for making it this far with her crush. A few times during their meetups, she even got Sayo to laugh. Hikawa Sayo, _laughing_! But Aya still didn't feel like she'd made any progress past going from an acquaintance to a friend.

Eventually, Aya just swallowed her pride and asked Chisato to lend her her pet dog, Leon. If there was anything she knew Sayo absolutely fell for, it was dogs. Cute dogs. Chisato may or may not have made Aya bow to her and beg to get permission to borrow her dog for a day. 

(Hina had heard whispers of it from Chisato the other day at practice and now tried her best to pry the truth from Aya, but Aya refused to divulge the details). 

But when Aya brought Leon, slobber and all, to go on a walk with Sayo, Sayo made a beeline for the dog and more or less ignored Aya the entire time. Two things went through Aya's mind then: one, that Hina _definitely_ didn't exaggerate Sayo's love for dogs, and two, Leon made more progress with Sayo in one minute than Aya did in one month. The thought depressed Aya. Yet Aya wasn't a person who was let down that easily--it's not like Sayo outright rejected her, or gave any indications that she didn't want her company. So in the words of Aya's personal role model and Sayo's _least_ favorite Marmalade member, Ayumi, she wasn't going to give up! (But also, she hoped that she wouldn't end up like Ayumi in the sense that Sayo would end up liking her the least out of Pastel*Palettes.)

\---

“...Um, so that's it, basically.” Aya fiddled uncomfortably with her phone. A part of her was worried that someone would overhear her and spread rumors that she was engaging in some kind of scandal, but another part of her fought against it, reassuring her that she was just being paranoid. Still, Aya couldn't afford to be careless, and Hina seemed to sense her discomfort as she leaned forward and poked Aya in the nose.

“Hi-Hina-chan?!”

Aya, in her shock, nearly dropped her phone into the fries in front of her, and Hina watched her with an amused expression as she scrambled to secure the phone in midair like it was a hot potato.

“What was that for?!”

Hina rested her chin on her knuckles and hummed. “That face you were making wasn't so boppin’. What's wrong, Aya-chan? Sounds like you've been making progress to me.”

“Hina-chan, not to be mean, but have you been paying attention like at all? I don't even think your sister has any idea that I like her. She just seemed confused every time I tried to ask her out somewhere…”

“Onee-chan is like that.” Hina sipped on her soda. “She's kind of distant at first. You just have to try harder!”

“I'm already trying!”

Aya sighed and closed her eyes. She opened them again when she heard Hina rap her knuckles on the table. To her surprise, Hina was smiling pleasantly. “What is it, Hina-chan?”

“I knew something like this would happen.” Hina took another sip of her soda. “It's like I said from the very beginning. You have to be, like, super direct with Onee-chan.”

“I… You mean…”

Hina nodded quickly in affirmation. “Yeah! Just tell her already! No more of this roundabout stuff where you take her somewhere or get her stuff she likes or whatever. She'll get the point if you just come out with it.” 

“Come out… with it…” Aya felt herself flush a deep red as she imagined the multitude of scenarios that could result from her simply telling Sayo that she liked her. Hina's laugh, bright and bubbly, snapped her out of her reverie.

“You're so red, Aya-chan! And with your hair… You look like someone took a paint canvas and went with lighter colors as they moved up the picture.”

“Hina-chan, that's--”

“Anyway, I figured you would need help with this. Knowing Aya-chan, there's no way you're doing this on your own. That's why I brought Onee-chan here with me!”

“I… what?! You what?! Where?!”

“Hmm, yeah, I texted her and asked her to come here 'cuz you had something important to tell her. You'll do it now, right? There's no backing down now!”

“First Chisato-chan, now you?! Why does this keep happening to me? You guys never tell me when you're bringing other people along!”

Aya reached for Hina's sleeve, but Hina deftly bobbed out of the way, giggling all the while, and slid out of the booth. Aya watched in despair as Hina waved over to a figure who'd just entered the restaurant. A very familiar figure, Aya would know, because she'd spent way too much time over the past few months studying said figure, among other things.

“Sayo-chan!”

Sayo walked over to their table, nodded to acknowledge Aya's presence, and stopped in front of Hina. The twins whispered to each other--about what, Aya couldn't guess--and then Sayo took what had been Hina's seat as Hina ran out of the restaurant, grinning madly and flashing Aya a thumbs up. Aya giggled nervously at the girl in front of her. 

“Hina said you had something important to tell me?”

“Ah… yeah… About that.”

Aya twiddled her thumbs and cleared her throat.

\---

The two of them ended up taking a walk outside. Aya decided that the atmosphere of the small family restaurant was too stifling, and Sayo reluctantly agreed. Sayo was now looking at Aya curiously while Aya contemplated what to say next. Walking around town like this wasn't what Aya had planned for her big confession scene, but now that she was here, this would have to do. 

“Um, before we start, I'm sorry, Sayo-chan. I didn't mean to take time out of practice or anything like that.”

“...No worries. You've been a reliable companion these past few weeks, so I don't mind the brief excursion.”

Aya blushed.

“Uhh… umm…”

“Maruyama-san?”

Aya shook her head. “Nothing! Nothing! Okay, so, I guess I haven't been super honest about why I've been inviting you out so much lately…”

A sudden rumbling interrupted Aya before she could continue. Aya jumped in place and shivered, while Sayo looked up.

“Maruyama-san, the sky…”

The sky was darkening, and the air around them started to give off a familiar earthy smell. Aya looked at Sayo. Sayo looked back. Aya felt like she was glued to the ground. The rain came lightly at first, as the pair remained where they stood. Aya cringed as the rain started falling harder and the first few fat drops of water hit her.

Aya laughed weakly, more out of incredulity than anything else.

“Ahh… so I guess we're stuck here.”

Sayo held one hand over her eyes to shield them and continued to peer up at the sky.

“So it seems. We shouldn't stay out here, Maruyama-san. You'll get sick…”

Aya blinked and looked at Sayo. “So will you…”

The pair made their way to a nearby storefront, which was closed, but it had an awning over the front entrance that provided a semblance of shelter from the pouring rain. Aya leaned her back against the glass and sighed heavily, running a hand through her bangs, which were now dripping wet. She was already on the verge of tears--Aya mentally scolded herself then for always being quick to cry--and rubbed her eyes, nearly cursing when her bracelet almost caught in the hair that framed her face. She stopped when she felt eyes on her, and looked up to find Sayo watching her curiously.

“Maruyama… san?”

That was it. It was Aya's turn to do damage control. She was never good at this--Chisato always handled that kind of thing--but she wasn't on a stage, in front of a screaming crowd of thousands. She was in front of Sayo, her crush, and she needed to be completely honest now. Aya took a shaky breath and tried her best to smile.

“I'm really sorry about all this, Sayo-chan.”

Sayo’s eyes softened, and she hugged herself as she replied to Aya. “There is no need to apologise. You cannot control the weather. We just ran into some bad luck today--”

“--But I wanted this to be perfect!” Aya suddenly cut her off, then immediately shut up when she saw the shocked expression on Sayo's face. She looked down at her feet before speaking again, this time in a much more subdued voice.

“I… This moment was going to be important.”

“Maruyama-san? What exactly was supposed to be important about it?”

Sayo's voice was insistent, but it lacked the sharp edge it usually did when she asked questions like that. Aya wasn't sure what got into her, but she blurted out the next few words. She already flubbed everything else, so what more if she flubbed her confession?

“I like you.”

This time, Aya looked directly at Sayo as she spoke. She could feel her face heating up, but she didn't care.

An unreadable expression settled on Sayo's face, and Aya couldn't tell if it was surprise or what. Then, she spoke. “Wait--do you mean--”

“I've watched you for a long time, Sayo-chan.”

Once Aya started letting the words flow out of her, she wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop, actually. If she did, her resolve might break, and she'd never be able to face Sayo again after this disaster.

“I've always admired you. Even before you were in Roselia and I was in Pastel*Palettes. Before any of that. In class I always wanted to be like you. I felt like there was nothing that could break you, you know? You were always so tough and cool--”

“I'm not! I'm not either of those things. Maruyama-san--” 

“Please let me finish, okay?” Aya sniffled. Sayo closed her mouth.

“That's what I _thought._. But back then, I didn't know anything about you! And then the agency started up Pastel*Palettes, and Hina-chan joined the group--”

Aya noticed Sayo tense up as she uttered her sister's name. 

“--And I could tell something was wrong. Hina-chan never really wanted to talk about it with us, but you… you resented her, didn't you?”

Sayo narrowed her eyes and hugged herself more tightly. “That's… how could you know something like that?”

“Because I work with Hina-chan. I know her. Probably better than most people do, at this point.” Aya chuckled weakly and brushed a stray strand of pink away from her eyes. “Hina-chan always picked everything up so easily! Back then, we were all jealous of her. Even Chisato-chan… Well, Chisato-chan is another story but she envied Hina too! She wouldn't admit something like that, though. A-anyway, I was a mess. I could hardly even talk on stage, and… I still struggle with it! I had worked so hard to become an idol. To realize my dreams. And I had to keep working hard. I still do. Everyone's great, and I love them, but sometimes I feel like I might do the most work out of everyone in the band, except maybe Chisato-chan.”

Sayo remained silent. Aya decided to keep going.

“And Hina-chan… she doesn't understand why I've worked so hard. She's trying, but I know it's difficult for her, ya know? It must be tough for a genius.”

At that word, Sayo stiffened and looked down at the ground. She almost looked defeated. Aya briefly wanted to hug her, but she thought better of it and continued on.

“Sayo-chan… I saw the same thing in you.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“More than me, or Chisato-chan… You work harder than everyone I know. And maybe I'm being selfish thinking I can put myself in your shoes, but I could feel a little of what you were going through for so long. But you were so much stronger than me, and I… liked that about you. I still do.”

“You're wrong, Maruyama-san.”

“Huh?”

Aya didn't expect Sayo to respond so soon, and not in that way, either.

“It's you who is stronger than me. I've heard a lot about you, you know? I've heard about all the effort you put into making Pastel*Palettes work.”

Aya could feel wetness in her eyes, and she suspected that it wasn't because she'd just been rained on.

“Hina talks about you and Pastel*Palettes all the time. She's always telling me about the hard work you put into practice and everything that comes with being an idol… in spite of all the odds… Honestly, I think _I_ would break in your position.”

Sayo cleared her throat and continued.

“I heard… Hina told me about the time you stood out in the rain to promote Pastel*Palettes. This was during the time you failed your live, wasn't it?” 

Aya nodded, mutely. 

“And yet you never gave up in the face of those obstacles.” 

At that, Aya could feel her face crack into a smile, recalling Sayo's favorite Pastel*Palettes song.

“Now look where you are. Your success is enviable. I still believe that Roselia's talent is unparalleled, of course, but Pastel*Palettes is where it is because of you.”

“Sayo-chan…?”

“You say you've been watching me this entire time, but really, I'm the one who admires you, Maruyama-san.”

“Sayo-chan… Waaaahh!”

“M-Maruyama-san?!”

Sayo pulled out a handkerchief and rushed to hand it to Aya, who gently batted Sayo's offer away while rubbing her eyes with the back of her other hand.

“Ahaha! I-it's okay, Sayo-chan. I'm fine, I'm just… I didn't expect it to turn out like this.”

She beamed at Sayo, who--Aya couldn't tell if this was just wishful thinking--flushed and looked away.

“I, ah, didn't expect things to happen in this manner, either…”

Sayo took the opportunity to finger a lock of her hair--a habit, Aya noticed, she always did when she was nervous. Not that Aya ever really saw Sayo get nervous or flustered that often--usually it was when she happened to be in the vicinity and Hina was with her. Aya's eyes were drawn to Sayo's hair again. Her beautiful hair, which seemed to glow blue in the rain.

“And, about Hina… The band means a lot to her. Thank you for watching out for her all this time, Maruyama-san. Even if she can be a little bit difficult.” 

Aya laughed. “Aha, that's nothing. I should thank Hina later for helping me hang out with you--Um.”

Aya's mouth snapped shut. She mentally screamed. _Maruyama Aya, you fluffy pink round disaster!_ And if Sayo wasn't blushing before, she definitely was now, and she seemed to know that Aya knew because she looked like she was ready to shrink down at that moment, as if she could hide in the safety of her soaked cardigan.

“Ah.”

“Hmm, Sayo-chan?”

“So… um… earlier, you said… you liked me? In that way? I…”

“Ehehe, yeah, I guess I kinda just said that without thinking, didn't I? But..” Aya reached out her hand and hesitated for a bit, before softly placing it on Sayo's sleeve. “It's true. I know that it won't be very easy. I have a, um, I have a reputation to keep, with me being an idol and all, and with you being in Roselia--”

“But there's nothing remarkable about me. Aside from our shared work ethic, which, I admit, you have dealt with far better than me, I don't see what you find so attractive about me. Frankly, I'm surprised you haven't gone after my sister instead, or even Shirasagi-san. Forgive me, Maruyama-san.”

“It's not just that. It's everything about you. I, uh--” Aya gulped. Her face was probably red. Definitely probably red. But she kept going. “I think you're really pretty. And smart. And the way you talk and everything just makes me like you more. I want to get to know you. I want to spend more time with you. And… and you're not Hina-chan or Chisato-chan! The person I like is here, and the person I like is Sayo-chan.” 

Sayo stood silently and in shock. _Uh oh… Did I break her?_ Aya was starting to get worried that maybe she'd been a little bit too straightforward there. Nevertheless, she patiently waited for Sayo's response. She'd wait a long time for Sayo, if she had to.

As if sensing her thoughts just now, Sayo remarked, under her breath, “You're just like a puppy, Maruyama-san…”

“I'm a… Whaaaat?!”

“Oh! Oh, I'm sorry, did you hear that? I-I didn't mean to say that out loud.”

Aya huffed. “So is this a no then?” She crossed her arms and tried to look nonchalant, but she knew Sayo could see right through her, could see that she was ready to burst into tears at any moment depending on the weight of Sayo's response.

“I did say you were like a puppy, Maruyama-san, but did Hina ever tell you? I have a soft spot for dogs.”

“That… was ridiculously cheesy, Sayo-chan.”

“Y-yes, yes, I know. Anyway, I… I appreciate everything you've done for me, Maruyama-san. But you don't have to do anything anymore. We both have a lot of work ahead of us, and it will be difficult, but--” Sayo paused for a brief moment, as if gathering her thoughts, and continued. “--I would like to try this kind of thing with you.”

Aya blinked and looked up at Sayo, her rose-colored eyes shining like gemstones.

“You mean it?”

“If it's fine with you, I think we can make it work.”

“Y-yes!” Aya coughed and lowered her voice. “I… I would like that a lot.”

After that response, Aya couldn't look Sayo in the eyes. Her face felt warm. She wanted to do something. She wanted to hug Sayo. Maybe kiss her? Her face _definitely_ felt too warm now. Aya looked down at her feet, suddenly finding the wet pavement very interesting. 

Aya would never tell her, but she could notice that Sayo was flustered too.

The two of them stood there for what felt like far too long, before Sayo spoke up again.

“Um…” 

Aya remained with her head turned towards the ground, but she shifted her eyes up to the girl in front of her.

“Sayo-chan?”

“A lot of good things happen in the rain, it seems.”

That statement took Aya by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I don't know if you remember, but a while ago, when Hina and I were still.. at odds with each other… during the Tanabata Festival…”

“Oh, no, no, I totally remember! It rained like this on that day, didn't it?”

“Yes, and that was the day I resolved to make things better for myself and Hina.”

Aya nodded. “Yeah, of course…”

“And it rained one other time, as well…”

“Hmm? What happened then?”

“It was… well, you can ask Hina, probably.”

Sayo closed her eyes, as if savoring the rain. Aya remembered her own important moments that occurred in the pouring rain, remembered the time she spent trying to help Pastel*Palettes make a comeback after their first failed live--which Sayo reminded her about earlier--and she grinned.

“Sayo-chan… I'm still not sure what exactly happened between you and Hina-chan, but you're right. Good things always seem to happen in the rain, don't they?”

Sayo nodded in agreement and smiled back, causing Aya to blush again. _Thanks to the rain, I got to see you like this, too,_ Aya thought. Aya blushed harder when that crossed her mind, and suddenly it was extremely difficult for her to continue talking.

“Is something the matter, Maruyama-san?”

“Uhh… um…”

Aya willed herself to speak, even though she was tempted to shrink away from Sayo's gaze, which had suddenly turned serious. 

“I… I know this is kinda sudden, and people might be watching but... but…” Aya fiddled with her hands. “...I just… Looking at you there, I just wanted to kiss you.”

Sayo's eyes widened. Oh no. Aya prayed to the idol gods that she hadn't just messed this up. They had just barely asked each other out. But she had already gotten this far, so she might as well keep going.

“Ehehe…” Aya squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for Sayo to reply. _If_ Sayo wanted to reply, anyway.

Then, just for a second, she felt soft lips against her own.

Aya's eyes immediately snapped open.

“Mmmm?!”

Sayo was standing there with her arms crossed and her gaze off to the side. Her complexion matched Aya's own, as she too was blushing. Aya could just barely hear Sayo’s explanation over the pouring rain.

“I checked. There was no one there, so…”

Seeing how embarrassed Sayo was got Aya to loosen up a little. She let out a small laugh as she shuffled closer. 

“Aha. Sayo-chan, that was totally unexpected! You're so cute.”

“I'm not… cute…”

Aya moved to wrap her arms around Sayo's waist and paused, looking at Sayo's face to gauge her reaction. When she didn't get any, she hugged Sayo tightly and buried her face in the crook of Sayo's neck, kissing her softly. She felt Sayo tense up for just a bit before the other girl finally relaxed in her arms.

Aya sighed. At that moment, between the two of them, she really didn't care if anyone else caught them. She could explain it away later.

“Sayo-chan, I'm so happy.”

“Maruyama-san…”

“You can call me Aya-chan, y'know? I mean, I'm close to Hina-chan so…”

“I just want to be polite.”

“So you're fine with kissing me out in public, but not using my first name? I see you, Sayo-chan.”

“Guhh…”

“Kidding! Hina-chan was so right about you! You're so easy to tease, Sayo-chan.”

“Hina said the same thing about you, actually…”

“What?!”

Sayo didn't reply to that, only cautiously placed her hand on the flat of Aya's back as Aya's arms remained wrapped around her waist. Aya felt tears well up again upon Sayo returning her hug, but she hoped Sayo didn't notice.

For a little while, that was the case, and they stayed like that until Sayo spoke up once more.

“...I feel something wet on my shoulder.”

Aya paled. “Our hair is still wet!”

“It's warm.”

“Th-that's just rain!”

“Maruyama-san, we're under shelter.”

“Waaahh! I cry easily, okay?!”

Aya broke away, now ashamed of herself, and Sayo chuckled as she pulled out her handkerchief and moved to wipe away at the corners of Aya's eyes. This time, Aya let her.

They were going to have a long road ahead of them, Aya thought, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey wow chapter 2 is done! First of all, I'd like to thank Seigetsu_Ren (@RAzuremoon on twitter) for proofreading and helping me make edits to this chapter. (Please check out Ren's fics as well. They're very good.) I also want to thank everyone who took the time to read this dumb little story of mine.
> 
> Now, about this story... I have to admit that I'm absolutely floored by the number of views and kudos on this thing. I honestly had no idea what to do for the second chapter because this was supposed to be a silly and short oneshot and it kind of just turned into something else entirely. I also wanted to write a sayo pov for the second chapter, because you kind of have to stretch your imagination here when it comes to Sayo's feelings towards Aya, but when I actually started writing, I ended up writing that scene with aya and hina and now here we are. I still feel like that confession scene was a bit too long, but I also wanted to explain the similarities between Aya and Sayo and I wanted Sayo to get a chance to express her feelings as well, since I kinda didn't end up writing her chapter.
> 
> In spite of all that, though, I hope I was able to end it decently. And just in time for Valentine's Day too! Hope you enjoyed reading, and feel free to leave a comment.

**Author's Note:**

> So, AyaSayo. I wrote this chapter in one day after getting a spark of inspiration, and since like 2 other people in existence ship it, I figured I would provide some content. (No, I have no idea what I'm going to do for chapter 2 since this was originally planned as a oneshot, but much like Aya, I won't give up!)
> 
> I'm sorry if everyone in pastel*palettes is ooc I TRIED
> 
> Sayo liking SURVIVOR Never Give Up is a headcanon I adopted from "I am You are Me" by Seigetsu_Ren. It's a good fic, which you should read immediately
> 
> Catch the reference in the conversation at the end if you can!
> 
> lastly, my twitter is @sp1dermami although I don't really post anything of substance so lol


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